Legal Document Samples

The following are sample legal documents in MS Word format. In some cases it's easy to complete your own documents and deal directly with the Registry of Deeds or the court, and you could save hundreds of dollars in legal costs. That being said - there's an old expression that those who act as their own attorneys have fools for clients! Use your own judgement whether you wish to do your own legal paperwork.

For most real estate transactions it's not required that you use an attorney but it's definitely desireable that you do so! An attorney has some legal obligations to protect your interests and will go to bat for you if something goes wrong. Most real estate transactions involve large sums of money and legal fees will form only a tiny percentage of the total value of the transaction.

The law firm Boyne Clarke gives some good information on Real Estate transactions in Nova Scotia.

You can hire a private title seraching firm to provide a report on the seller's ownership of the property - i.e. that the seller has good and marketable title, or if there are liens or other interests. Deed Diggers in Halifax does this work (425-4932).

Purchase and Sale Agreement - Real Estate

Warranty Deed

Quit Claim Deed

Deed of Easement

Sample of an easement to transfer right-of-way rights only over for example, a driveway. I used this to transfer a driveway that crosses my neighbour's land. The legal description usually does not need to be a formal metes and bounds description with bearings and distances. It can say something like "Beginning at a point on the northern boundary of the Grantor's lands, the following the existing driveway southerly and westerly to the western boundary of the lands of the Grantee." You might want to contact a surveyor or go to the Provincial property mapping office.

The deed should be witnessed in front of a Commissioner of Oaths. Any of the provincial Registry of Deeds offices will provide this service free of charge.

Last Will and Testament

Living Will

Power of Attorney